Larva with tail spikes

[Bruce Williams]

Stony Stratford, Bucks.

I suspect that these tail spikes are quite common - any idea if they perform any kind of function?

Help with identification appreciated as always.



Bruce

[Jason Green]

Hi Bruce,

Well, I could be well off track here, but one look at that face in side-profile in your first image and I believe it to be a Beetle larva - I was thinking Staphylinidae, as opposed to a moth or fly.

Now, through a quick Google of 'Staphylinid larvae' I came up with this - Pterostichini sp. on Flickr - Photo Sharing! - which is a Ground Beetle. Maybe a possibility, so I'll be very interested in other's points of view on this one

An excellent example of how multiple angles is good for these ID requests - so thanks!

Take care,

Jason

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks for the suggestion Jason. I've checked out Pterostichini larva and whilst there is a superficial resemblance to be honest I think it's probably unlikely.

Bruce

[Rossco]

Bruce

It does bear a very superficial resemblance to a beetle larva, but there are pro-legs on the abdomen, which singles it out as some form of lepidopteran larva - probably a moth larva, but I don't know too much about these. How big was it? It does look a fair bit like a bag-worm caterpillar, but God knows where it's bag might have got to.

Ross

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks for your input Ross.

The size is just a smidgen under 9mm long.

Yes I noticed the resemblance to the bagworm I posted recently and wondered if it might be a moth larva. See this thread for bagworm pics: Larva with long caddis-like case

Bruce

[charlieb]

Definitely lepidopteran, one of the micro moths

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks for your help Charlie - always appreciated.

Bruce